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NBA record projection picks Phoenix Suns first without Kevin Durant

The Phoenix Suns are projected to have the Western Conference’s best record in the 2022-23 season … without Kevin Durant.

ESPN recently unveiled its projection for next season and it has the Suns going 56-26 to earn the best record in the West.

“Sure, Phoenix is ​​coming off a surprising second-round meltdown to the Mavericks,” Kendra Andrews wrote. “And they didn’t make any major roster additions over the summer. Frankly, they probably don’t need any. They need Chris Paul to be healthy, Devin Booker to play at an MVP-caliber level and for any animosity between Deandre Ayton and the franchise to be erased.”

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The site projects the Suns to beat out the Golden State Warriors for the best mark in the conference.

It has Golden State going 55-27.

The Denver Nuggets are projected to finish third in the West, at 53-29, followed by the Memphis Grizzlies at 51-31.

The Los Angeles Clippers are fifth in the site’s projection, at 50-32, with the Dallas Mavericks, who beat the Suns in the Western Conference semifinals, projected to end up 49-33.

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The Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors could be the cream of the NBA's Western Conference crop in 2022-23.

Andrews wrote: “Despite winning the title last season and presumably starting next season with a fully healthy roster for the first time in three years, the defending champs aren’t the ESPN Summer Forecast favorites to have the West’s best regular season record in 2022- 23. But that’s not to say there aren’t great things ahead for Golden State. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will play their first full season together in three years. Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Jordan Poole will continue to build on their careers. James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody will have bigger opportunities to grow. If anything, the Warriors should be on track to make another deep push in the postseason and have a successful regular season on their way there.